NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals-led Missing Child Operation in Middle Florida Results in Recovery of 60 Children

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Tampa, FL – The U.S. Marshals Service Middle District of Florida, in conjunction with a vast array of partners, led missing child operation in June that resulted in the recovery or safe location of 60 critically missing children from across Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco counties.

    Operation DRAGON EYE, the product of a multidisciplinary task force of federal, state, and local government agencies, as well as social service entities, the medical community, and non-governmental organizations planning and executing a two-week initiative geared to recover or safely locate the most critically missing youth, has been deemed the most successful missing child operation in USMS history. The USMS defines “critically missing” children as those at risk of crimes of violence or those with other elevated risk factors such as substance abuse, sexual exploitation, crime exposure, or domestic violence.

    This operation had three primary objectives: recover critically missing youth, provide them with essential services including appropriate placement, and to deter bad actors exploiting missing child vulnerabilities.

    DRAGON EYE resulted in eight arrests, including charges of human trafficking, child endangerment, narcotics possession, and custodial interference.

    Recovered children were provided with medical resources, nourishment, social services, and child advocates. Operation DRAGON EYE child welfare and social service partners said they are proud of this operation’s achievements.

    “I have to curtail my enthusiasm because of the sensitivity of the victims involved in this operation, but the successful recovery of 60 missing children, complemented with the arrest of eight individuals, including child predators, signifies the most successful missing child recovery effort in the history of the United States Marshals Service; or to my knowledge, any other similar operation held in the United States,” said William Berger, U.S. Marshal for the Middle District of Florida. “The unique part of this operation was the fact that underaged critically missing children ranging from age 9 to 17 were not only recovered but were debriefed and provided with physical and psychological care. This operation further included follow-up assistance in hopes that these youth will not return to the streets to be further victimized.”

    USMS law enforcement partners played essential roles in the success of Operation DRAGON EYE, and include the following agencies: Florida Attorney General’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Department of Children and Families, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Pasco Sherriff’s Office, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, St. Petersburg Police Department, Tampa Police Department, BayCare, Bridging Freedom, Bridges of Hope, Children’s Home Network, Children’s Network of Hillsborough County, Family Support Services Pasco Pinellas Counties, More Too Life, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and Redefining Refuge.

    “The success of Operation DRAGON EYE is a testament to what’s possible when agencies unite with a shared mission to protect children,” said Callahan Walsh, Executive Director, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. “We’re proud to have supported the U.S. Marshals Service and our partners in Florida to recover these missing children and provide critical support to those who need it most. NCMEC is honored to stand alongside these teams and will continue working tirelessly to help make sure that every child has a safe childhood.”

    The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 enhanced the USMS discretionary authority to assist other law enforcement agencies with the recovery of missing, endangered or abducted children, regardless of whether a fugitive or sex offender was involved. The U.S. Marshals have a Missing Child Unit to oversee and manage the implementation of its enhanced authority under the act. Upon request, the Marshals assist other law enforcement agencies with the recovery of “critically missing children,” who have gone missing under circumstances that indicate an elevated risk to the child. Since 2015, when the Marshals received enhanced authority under the act, the agency has located or recovered more than 3,967 missing children. The U.S. Marshals have located or recovered missing children in 66 percent of cases received. Of those recovered, 61 percent were found within seven days. The U.S. Marshals are leading the way in a nationwide effort to rescue and recover missing and exploited children, thereby aiding in the prevention of human trafficking.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Media Advisory: U.S. Coast Guard Barque Eagle ride-in opportunity into San Francisco Bay Wednesday, June 25

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 06/23/2025 05:15 PM EDT

     

    06/23/2025 04:50 PM EDT

    For the first time since 2008, the U.S. Coast Guard Barque Eagle (WIX 327), America’s Tall Ship, will be visiting San Francisco on Wednesday, June 25.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Cocaine Following a Wiretap Investigation

    Source: US FBI

    Baltimore, Maryland – Travis Sentell Howell, 46, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to distributing 80 kilograms of cocaine.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division.

    According to the guilty plea, beginning in fall 2022, the FBI and DEA investigated a drug trafficking conspiracy involving several individuals distributing cocaine in the Baltimore area, including Howell. During the investigation, investigators obtained court-authorized wiretaps for Howell’s phones.  Investigators intercepted telephone calls during which Howell and co-conspirators used coded language to discuss distributing cocaine, arranging meetings, and obtaining cash proceeds from the conspiracy.  Based on wiretaps and surveillance work, law enforcement observed Howell and co-conspirators conducting suspected drug transactions in various locations in Baltimore.

    Investigators learned that, during the conspiracy, Howell obtained kilogram quantities of cocaine from the west coast.  After the cocaine arrived, Howell redistributed it to customers in the Baltimore area.  He paid for the cocaine by, among other things, traveling to the west coast and providing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to couriers.

    On June 4, 2024, investigators executed federal search warrants on several residences associated with suspected members of the drug trafficking organization, including a residence associated with Howell.  During the search, investigators recovered approximately $13,182 in cash, a money counter, gold Rolex watch, and other jewelry.  At the locations associated with other members of the conspiracy, investigators recovered more than five kilograms of cocaine, a pill press and pill press parts, empty glassine wrappers, gas mask, Narcan, cutting agents, digital scales, and cash.

    After the execution of the search warrant, Howell acknowledged that for multiple years he received multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine and redistributed it to other individuals in the Baltimore area.  Howell stated that during the time of the investigation, he obtained approximately 80 kilograms of cocaine and redistributed it to other individuals.  He also explained that during a trip to Los Angeles, the week before the search warrant, Howell transported $180,000 of U.S. Currency, which he provided as payment for cocaine to transport back to Baltimore for distribution.  Howell admitted that he made multiple short trips to Los Angeles, which he explained was to provide payment for cocaine and that all payments were for at least $100,000 or more.

    The parties agree that if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Howell will be sentenced to nine years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for August 18.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and DEA for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Simpkins who is prosecuting the case.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Peever Man Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting His Spouse and Causing Serious Bodily Injury

    Source: US FBI

    ABERDEEN – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Peever, South Dakota, man for Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

    On June 16, 2025, Terry Wayne Sterling Heminger, age 27, was sentenced to five years and ten months in federal prison with three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

    Heminger was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024. He pleaded guilty on September 30, 2024. His conviction stemmed from an incident on December 23, 2022, when Heminger assaulted his spouse with a hammer. The victim sustained serious bodily injuries to her skull resulting in complete vision loss in one eye and 54% loss in the other. The victim also had to undergo the placement of several metal plates to treat the injuries.

    This matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.

    This case was investigated by the FBI and the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Tribal Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.

    Heminger was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fourth Defendant Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Bribe Feeding Our Future Juror

    Source: US FBI

    MINNEAPOLIS – Abdiaziz Farah, who was convicted of fraud after the first Feeding Our Future trial, has pleaded guilty to his role in providing a cash bribe to a juror in that same trial, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.

    On April 22, 2024, seven defendants went to trial before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel for their roles in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme.  During the trial, Abdiaziz Farah, 36, of Savage, MN, conspired with his co-defendants, Abdimajid Nur and Said Farah, also well as with two other people, Abdulkarim Farah and Ladan Ali, to provide a cash bribe to one of the jurors in exchange for returning a not guilty verdict in the trial.

    “The attempted bribery of a Feeding Our Future juror sent shockwaves throughout Minnesota,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Abdiaziz Farah did what few criminal defendants have ever had the audacity to do—he and his co-conspirators tried to buy a not guilty verdict.  They were thwarted by Juror 52, who could not be bought, and by the excellent work of law enforcement.  Farah and all involved in this despicable scheme will be held to account.”

    “Juror bribery is an attack on the integrity of our justice system,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis.  “Farah’s actions directly undermined the rule of law. In partnership with our law enforcement colleagues, the FBI is unwavering in our pledge to safeguard the incorruptibility of our judicial process and ensure those who threaten that process must answer for their actions.”

    According to court documents, after the conspirators identified and decided to bribe Juror 52, at least one of Farah’s co-conspirators conducted surveillance of Juror 52 at Juror 52’s house. At or around the same time, Ladan Ali was recruited to deliver the bribe money to Juror 52. Farah worked with his co-conspirators to gather the funds necessary for the bribe. In the early morning of June 2, 2024, in furtherance of that effort, Farah sent a message to his brother and co-defendant Said Farah using an encrypted messaging app. Abdiaziz Farah told Said Farah to “[p]lease have the money ready by 10 please. It’s very important for everything we have.”

    Later on June 2, 2024, Farah instructed his co-defendant Abdimajid Nur to meet him at Said Farah’s business, Bushra Wholesalers, to pick up the bribe money. Abdimajid Nur did so. However, Farah and Said Farah did not fully trust Ladan Ali, and they remained concerned that Juror 52 would not follow through with an acquittal. As such, a co-conspirator directed Abdulkarim Farah to drive Ladan Ali to Juror 52’s house and record a video of her delivery of the bribe money.

    After meeting Ladan Ali not far from Juror 52’s house, Abdulkarim Farah and Ladan Ali drove to a nearby Target store where Abdulkarim Farah purchased a screwdriver to remove the license plate from Ladan Ali’s rental car prior to delivering the bribe to Juror 52 in an effort to avoid detection.

    At approximately 8:50 p.m. on June 2, 2024, Abdulkarim Farah drove Ladan Ali to Juror 52’s house to deliver the bribe. Abdulkarim Farah took a video recording as Ladan Ali approached Juror 52’s house with a gift bag containing the bribe money. Ladan Ali handed the gift bag to a relative of Juror 52 and explained there would be more money if Juror 52 voted to acquit the defendants.

    After Ladan Ali delivered the bribe, Abdulkarim Farah sent the video he had taken to his brother, Abdiaziz Farah. Abdiaziz Farah then forwarded that video to the third Farah brother, Said, in a message that said, “watch and delete.”

    On June 3, 2024, Farah was present in court when prosecutors announced law enforcement’s discovery of the bribe attempt. Minutes later, after being ordered by Judge Nancy Brasel to surrender his phone to law enforcement, Farah conducted a factory reset of his iPhone in order to delete the messages, video, and other evidence of the bribe attempt from his phone.

    Abdiaziz Farah pleaded guilty on June 17, 2025, in U.S. District Court before Judge David S. Doty to one count of bribery of a juror. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI with assistance from IRS – Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert, Harry M. Jacobs, and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Greer Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison, Ordered to Pay $2 Million in Restitution

    Source: US FBI

    GREENVILLE, S.C. — Jennifer L. Bengston Cook, 56, of Greer, was sentenced to three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud. She was also ordered to pay $2.2 million in restitution.

    According to statements made in court, Cook was a part-time bookkeeper for a small business in Duncan for more than a decade.  During her employment she wrote checks to herself from the company’s bank accounts without permission and deposited them into her personal bank account. To disguise her theft, in the business’ ledger she listed the checks as void, and in QuickBooks she listed the checks as either void, paid to other employees, or paid to vendors.  On the memo line of some of the checks, she wrote it was for payroll and listed the payroll dates. In some instances, she paid herself three payroll checks for the same pay period. On some checks, she wrote on the memo line that it was a reimbursement. Cook also used the company’s bank account to pay her personal credit card bills.

    The criminal conduct was discovered when Cook was on vacation and her supervisor needed to find a record of a vendor payment.  After the discovery, Cook’s employment was terminated, and law enforcement was notified.  She was charged with multiple counts of wire fraud in federal court. 

    U.S. District Judge Jacquelin D. Austin presided over the case and sentenced Cook to 36 months in federal prison and ordered her to pay $2,276,830.09 in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Watkins handled this prosecution.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Nonprofit Founder and Accountant Charged with Stealing Over $100 Million From Special Needs Victims

    Source: US FBI

    Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the  unsealing of an indictment charging Leo John Govoni (67, Clearwater) and John Leo Witeck (60, Tampa) in connection with a fraud scheme that involved stealing more than $100 million from, and ultimately bankrupting, a non-profit organization in Clearwater that managed funds for vulnerable individuals with special needs and disabilities.

    Govoni and Witeck are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, three counts of mail fraud, six counts of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Govoni is also charged separately with one count of bank fraud, one count of illegal monetary transaction, and one count of making a false bankruptcy declaration. The bank fraud offense carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Each count of wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, and the money laundering conspiracy offense carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment. The illegal monetary transaction count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and the false bankruptcy declaration carries a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment. 

    According to the indictment and court documents, around the year 2000, Govoni co-founded the Center for Special Needs Trust Administration (CSNT), a non-profit that managed funds for individuals with disabilities and other special needs, including those who received settlements, court awards, and other payments. CSNT grew to be one of the largest administrators of special needs trusts in the country, with beneficiaries located in Florida and nationwide. As of February 2024, CSNT managed more than 2,100 special needs trusts containing approximately $200 million in assets.

    As alleged in the indictment, from June 2009 through May 2025, Govoni, Witeck, and their co-conspirators solicited, stole, and misappropriated CSNT client-beneficiary funds—which they treated as a slush fund to enrich themselves and others—and concealed their illegal activities through complex financial transactions and deceit, including sending fraudulent account statements with false balances to disabled victims and their families. Govoni allegedly used stolen money to purchase real estate, travel via private jet, fund a brewery, make deposits in his personal bank accounts, and pay debts. In February 2024, CSNT filed for bankruptcy and disclosed that more than $100 million in client-beneficiary funds was missing from its trust accounts.

    Govoni is also charged with bank fraud related to a $3 million mortgage refinance loan and the alleged laundering of $205,054 of the fraud proceeds to pay off a home equity line of credit on his residence. Govoni is further alleged to have made false declarations to the bankruptcy court related to the CSNT bankruptcy proceedings.

    “Protecting the most vulnerable members of our society is a priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U. S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “The fraud alleged in this nationwide scheme is unfathomable. Due to the diligence and interagency collaboration by our dedicated law enforcement partners, these crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “The subjects charged are accused of creating a slush fund to divert millions of dollars away from a nonprofit organization helping people with special needs,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Not only were the organization’s resources drained, but the accused subjects betrayed the trust of the community and ultimately bankrupted a lifeline for vulnerable families. The FBI will not tolerate the exploitation of charitable missions for personal enrichment.”

    “The scale and audacity of the alleged fraud in this case are deeply troubling,” said Criminal Investigation Chief Guy Ficco of the IRS. “Stealing funds intended to protect and support people with special needs is as cruel as it is criminal. IRS-CI special agents are dedicated to uncovering complex financial schemes, especially those that prey on the most vulnerable in our society.”

    “The defendant disrupted access to critical services for individuals with disabilities and defrauded federal health care programs with the sole purpose of financing a life of extravagance,” stated Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continue to hold those who’s illicit actions seek to assail enrollees and the nation’s federal health care programs fully accountable.”

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Peresie and Michael Gordon and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Lyndie Freeman of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Nonprofit Founder and Accountant Charged with Stealing Over $100 Million From Special Needs Victims

    Source: US FBI

    Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the  unsealing of an indictment charging Leo John Govoni (67, Clearwater) and John Leo Witeck (60, Tampa) in connection with a fraud scheme that involved stealing more than $100 million from, and ultimately bankrupting, a non-profit organization in Clearwater that managed funds for vulnerable individuals with special needs and disabilities.

    Govoni and Witeck are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, three counts of mail fraud, six counts of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Govoni is also charged separately with one count of bank fraud, one count of illegal monetary transaction, and one count of making a false bankruptcy declaration. The bank fraud offense carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Each count of wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, and the money laundering conspiracy offense carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment. The illegal monetary transaction count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and the false bankruptcy declaration carries a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment. 

    According to the indictment and court documents, around the year 2000, Govoni co-founded the Center for Special Needs Trust Administration (CSNT), a non-profit that managed funds for individuals with disabilities and other special needs, including those who received settlements, court awards, and other payments. CSNT grew to be one of the largest administrators of special needs trusts in the country, with beneficiaries located in Florida and nationwide. As of February 2024, CSNT managed more than 2,100 special needs trusts containing approximately $200 million in assets.

    As alleged in the indictment, from June 2009 through May 2025, Govoni, Witeck, and their co-conspirators solicited, stole, and misappropriated CSNT client-beneficiary funds—which they treated as a slush fund to enrich themselves and others—and concealed their illegal activities through complex financial transactions and deceit, including sending fraudulent account statements with false balances to disabled victims and their families. Govoni allegedly used stolen money to purchase real estate, travel via private jet, fund a brewery, make deposits in his personal bank accounts, and pay debts. In February 2024, CSNT filed for bankruptcy and disclosed that more than $100 million in client-beneficiary funds was missing from its trust accounts.

    Govoni is also charged with bank fraud related to a $3 million mortgage refinance loan and the alleged laundering of $205,054 of the fraud proceeds to pay off a home equity line of credit on his residence. Govoni is further alleged to have made false declarations to the bankruptcy court related to the CSNT bankruptcy proceedings.

    “Protecting the most vulnerable members of our society is a priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U. S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “The fraud alleged in this nationwide scheme is unfathomable. Due to the diligence and interagency collaboration by our dedicated law enforcement partners, these crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “The subjects charged are accused of creating a slush fund to divert millions of dollars away from a nonprofit organization helping people with special needs,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Not only were the organization’s resources drained, but the accused subjects betrayed the trust of the community and ultimately bankrupted a lifeline for vulnerable families. The FBI will not tolerate the exploitation of charitable missions for personal enrichment.”

    “The scale and audacity of the alleged fraud in this case are deeply troubling,” said Criminal Investigation Chief Guy Ficco of the IRS. “Stealing funds intended to protect and support people with special needs is as cruel as it is criminal. IRS-CI special agents are dedicated to uncovering complex financial schemes, especially those that prey on the most vulnerable in our society.”

    “The defendant disrupted access to critical services for individuals with disabilities and defrauded federal health care programs with the sole purpose of financing a life of extravagance,” stated Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continue to hold those who’s illicit actions seek to assail enrollees and the nation’s federal health care programs fully accountable.”

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Peresie and Michael Gordon and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Lyndie Freeman of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: California Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with Laundering Proceeds of $16M Hospice Fraud Scheme

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    A California man pleaded guilty today to laundering more than $4.6 million in connection with a years-long scheme to defraud Medicare of nearly $16 million through sham hospice companies.

    According to court documents, Mihran Panosyan, 46, of Winnetka, worked with others to launder the proceeds of a massive Medicare fraud scheme, transferring the fraudulently obtained funds between multiple accounts before spending them. The scheme comprised three parts. First, three of Panosyan’s co-defendants used the identities of foreign nationals no longer in the United States to operate several sham hospice companies. Panosyan and his co-defendants maintained fraudulent identification documents, bank accounts, checkbooks, and credit and debit cards in the names of purported foreign owners. Second, the co-defendants caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for hospice services for patients who were not terminally ill and who never requested nor received hospice services. As a result, Medicare paid the sham hospices nearly $16 million. Third, Panosyan and his co-defendants laundered the proceeds of the scheme to conceal the source of the funds and their control over them. Panosyan transferred proceeds of the Medicare fraud between accounts in the names of the purported foreign owners, the sham hospices, and other shell corporations, laundering more than $4.6 million in fraudulently obtained funds that he used to purchase real estate, pay for private school for his minor child, and pay for other personal expenses.

    Panosyan pleaded guilty to money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 8. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Panosyan’s co-defendant, Petros Fichidzhyan, previously pleaded guilty to health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. Last month, Fichidzhyan was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Trial against the other three defendants in this case is scheduled to begin July 29.

    The guilty plea today is the most recent conviction in the Justice Department’s ongoing effort to combat hospice fraud in the greater Los Angeles area. Last year, a doctor was convicted at trial for his role in a scheme to bill Medicare for hospice services patients did not need, and two other defendants were sentenced for their roles in a hospice fraud scheme.  

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Los Angeles Regional Office made the announcement.

    The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Michael Bacharach, Sarah E. Edwards, and Allison L. McGuire of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara B. Vavere of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California is handling asset forfeiture.

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: California Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with Laundering Proceeds of $16M Hospice Fraud Scheme

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    A California man pleaded guilty today to laundering more than $4.6 million in connection with a years-long scheme to defraud Medicare of nearly $16 million through sham hospice companies.

    According to court documents, Mihran Panosyan, 46, of Winnetka, worked with others to launder the proceeds of a massive Medicare fraud scheme, transferring the fraudulently obtained funds between multiple accounts before spending them. The scheme comprised three parts. First, three of Panosyan’s co-defendants used the identities of foreign nationals no longer in the United States to operate several sham hospice companies. Panosyan and his co-defendants maintained fraudulent identification documents, bank accounts, checkbooks, and credit and debit cards in the names of purported foreign owners. Second, the co-defendants caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for hospice services for patients who were not terminally ill and who never requested nor received hospice services. As a result, Medicare paid the sham hospices nearly $16 million. Third, Panosyan and his co-defendants laundered the proceeds of the scheme to conceal the source of the funds and their control over them. Panosyan transferred proceeds of the Medicare fraud between accounts in the names of the purported foreign owners, the sham hospices, and other shell corporations, laundering more than $4.6 million in fraudulently obtained funds that he used to purchase real estate, pay for private school for his minor child, and pay for other personal expenses.

    Panosyan pleaded guilty to money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 8. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Panosyan’s co-defendant, Petros Fichidzhyan, previously pleaded guilty to health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. Last month, Fichidzhyan was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Trial against the other three defendants in this case is scheduled to begin July 29.

    The guilty plea today is the most recent conviction in the Justice Department’s ongoing effort to combat hospice fraud in the greater Los Angeles area. Last year, a doctor was convicted at trial for his role in a scheme to bill Medicare for hospice services patients did not need, and two other defendants were sentenced for their roles in a hospice fraud scheme.  

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Los Angeles Regional Office made the announcement.

    The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Michael Bacharach, Sarah E. Edwards, and Allison L. McGuire of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara B. Vavere of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California is handling asset forfeiture.

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Stockton Brothers Indicted for Wire Fraud Conspiracy

    Source: US FBI

    A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment against Stockton brothers Hector Perez, 34, and Flavio Perez, 29. Both are charged with wire fraud conspiracy, and Hector Perez is additionally charged with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. Both were arrested on June 17, 2025.

    According to court documents, between May 2018 and November 2020, the brothers conducted a wire fraud conspiracy against at least four different victims, which were invoice factoring companies.

    Invoice factoring is a financial service that provides immediate cash flow to a business in exchange for the business’s outstanding invoices. The invoice factoring company, which has bought the outstanding invoices, then has the right to collect the money owed by the debtors on those invoices.

    To execute the scheme, the brothers created corporate entities posing as businesses seeking to sell fabricated debt in the form of fraudulent invoices. The defendants then sold these fraudulent invoices to at least four different factoring companies. As a result of this deception, the victim factoring companies transferred money to bank accounts held under the control of one or both of the defendants. The victim factoring companies would either never get paid on the fake invoices that they had purchased or if they did, would get paid much less than they were due. If they were paid, the money generally came from the defendants, most often via bank accounts held in the names of fictitious Debtors. These payments were designed to disguise the fraud so that the defendants could avoid detection and continue the fraudulent enterprise. From May 2018 through September 2020, the overall loss to the victims totaled more than $1.8 million.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise N. Yasinow and Matthew Thuesen are prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, Hector Perez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the wire fraud and conspiracy counts, and a mandatory consecutive two-years in prison for the aggravated identity theft count. Flavio Perez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Thirteen People Charged in Takedown of a Major Drug Trafficking Network

    Source: US FBI

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Thirteen people have been charged and arrested for their roles in a New York City-based drug trafficking ring, with federal agents seizing nearly 500 kilos of cocaine.

    The announcement was made by United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, New York Division, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Craig A. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge, Albany Field Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Steven G. James, Superintendent, New York State Police (NYSP). 

    On June 12, law enforcement officers, including from the NYSP, DEA and FBI, conducted searches at 24 locations in New York and New Jersey as part of an operation to break up a drug trafficking network that shipped drugs from California to New York City and then Upstate New York.  The searches resulted in the seizure of almost 250 kilos of cocaine, fentanyl pills, other drugs and paraphernalia, a firearm and more than $1 million in cash.  Law enforcement also made arrests in Georgia and Pennsylvania. 

    The searches and arrests on June 12 followed an 18-month-long investigation in which law enforcement seized more than 240 kilos of cocaine, 185 pounds of methamphetamine, and almost 700 pounds of marijuana. 

    United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said: “Using an all-hands-on-deck approach, we have smashed a sophisticated, New York City-based drug trafficking organization that was pumping poison into our Upstate New York communities. This case demonstrates the federal government’s commitment to taking back our communities from the criminal organizations that have proliferated in recent years thanks to weak state laws and even weaker state legislators from New York City.”

    DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino said: “Over the past year and a half, our DEA team, working alongside our dedicated law enforcement partners, have successfully targeted the Abdelhak drug trafficking organization which has plagued and poisoned our communities here in New York and across the Northeastern corridor with illicit narcotics. While these operations have made a significant impact dismantling this drug trafficking network’s criminal enterprise, the DEA’s mission is far from over. The DEA remains steadfast in our commitment to saving lives, and we will continue to pursue the drug cartels and those individuals responsible for flooding our neighborhoods with these poisonous drugs.” 

    FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig A. Tremaroli said: “This network’s reach was expansive – moving drugs from California to sell in communities within the Capital Region, North Country, Central New York, Western New York, and New York City. But the reach of our federal task forces is deeper, and these 13 individuals learned the hard way that the FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, will not stand idly by while criminals pedal drugs on our streets.” 

    NYSP Superintendent Steven G. James said: “This investigation and the arrests that followed reflect our unwavering commitment to protecting the public from the violence and devastation drug trafficking brings to our communities. These individuals were responsible for flooding our streets with lethal narcotics, putting countless lives at risk. By taking down this network, we have removed a serious threat to the safety of neighborhoods across New York. I thank our Troopers and all of our law enforcement partners for their tireless work to safeguard our state.”

    According to a criminal complaint, the following people are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances:

    • Samer Abdelhak, aka “Semi,” age 35, of Fresh Meadows, New York;
    • Leon Chen, aka “Don Eladio,” 29, of Long Island City, New York;
    • Michael Harper, aka “Miz,” 38, of Corning, New York;
    • Anthony Medina, aka “Tank” and “Fatboy,” 28, of Painted Post, New York;
    • Broslloyd Campbell, 42, of Hewlett, New York;
    • Anthony Dixon Jr., 41, of Jackson, New Jersey;
    • Chaquill Foster, aka “Lo” and “Gucci,” 31, of Schenectady, New York;
    • Christopher Smith, aka “Boot,” 39, of Fresh Meadows, New York;
    • Jason Hogue, aka “Whispers,” 44, of Lake Placid, New York;
    • Christopher Christman, aka “Free,” “Fremont,” and “Puffy,” 42, of Fresh Meadows, New York;
    • Cesar Ariel Castro-Sanchez, aka “Dom R,” 31, of Palisades Park, New Jersey;
    • Jocelyn Foster, aka “Jozzy,” 29, of Amsterdam, New York; and
    • Mikell Butler, 34, of Schenectady, New York.

    Nearly all of the defendants have been charged with offenses that carry a minimum term of 10 years and up to life in prison.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

    The charges in the complaint are merely accusations.  Each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

    The NYSP, the DEA’s Capital District Drug Enforcement Task Force, and the FBI’s Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force are investigating this case, with assistance from Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Sullivan County District Attorney’s Office, the Sheriff’s Offices in Fulton and Montgomery Counties, and the Police Departments in Colonie, Elmira, Gloversville, Johnstown, Niskayuna, Schenectady, and Amsterdam.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cyrus P.W. Rieck, Katherine Kopita and Nicholas Walter are prosecuting the case.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Campaign Treasurer Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Over $840,000

    Source: US FBI

    ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria woman pled guilty today to embezzling campaign contributions from three federal candidates for political office and committing tax evasion.

    According to court documents, Katherine Margaret Buchanan, 59,  worked as a political campaign compliance consultant for more than 20 years for various political campaigns and political action committees (PACs). Typically, she held the title of “Treasurer” of the campaign or PAC. Beginning in 2020 and continuing to 2024, Buchanan used the access she had as treasurer to embezzle contributed funds from her clients and converted that money to her own personal use. Buchanan used campaign or PAC funds to make payments to her personal credit cards, used official campaign or PAC credit cards to make personal purchases, used campaign or PAC funds to pay third parties for her own personal enrichment, and transferred funds from campaign or PAC bank accounts into her personal bank accounts.

    Buchanan used the embezzled funds for such personal expenses as dining, landscaping, aesthetic services, a Peloton exercise bike, clothing, airline tickets to Italy, concert tickets and suites, landscaping, chartered yacht tours, and legal fees. Altogether, Buchanan misappropriated at least $840,006.98 in contributed funds from the various campaign committees and PACs for whom she served as treasurer.

    Buchanan also under-reported the income she received from 2017 through 2022 to the Internal Revenue Service to avoid paying taxes on it. This resulted in a total loss of unpaid federal taxes of $671,200.

    Buchanan is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 8 and faces up to five years in prison for each charge. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Emily Odom, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. accepted the plea.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh is prosecuting the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-150.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Charged for Stabbing Visitor at the Wounded Knee Memorial Site in the Pine Ridge Reservation

    Source: US FBI

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that the United States Attorney’s Office has charged 18-year-old Raymond Eagle Hawk, Jr., of Wounded Knee, South Dakota, with Assault with Intent to Commit Murder.

    On June 12, 2025, Eagle Hawk was intoxicated and panhandling at the Wounded Knee cemetery parking lot. The victim, a 71-year-old man, and his wife had traveled to the Pine Ridge Reservation from their home in Texas to visit the Wounded Knee Memorial site, near Wounded Knee village, within the Pine Ridge Reservation.

    At the memorial site, Eagle Hawk asked the victim for money. The victim gave Eagle Hawk a small sum of cash, but Eagle Hawk continued to demand money. When the victim did not give Eagle Hawk more money, Eagle Hawk stabbed him in the throat with a knife. The victim sustained a grievous injury to his neck and attempted to return to his vehicle. Eagle Hawk continued to advance on the victim, but then fled the cemetery. The victim was transported to the Pine Ridge hospital and later flown by air ambulance to Monument Health Hospital in Rapid City, where he underwent emergency surgery to repair the wound to his neck.

    Eagle Hawk appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on June 18, 2025, and pleaded not guilty to the criminal complaint. Eagle Hawk was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing, scheduled for June 27, 2025.

    The maximum penalty upon conviction is 20 years in custody in a federal prison.

    The charge is merely an accusation and Eagle Hawk is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

    This matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.

    The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant United States Attorney Heather Knox is prosecuting the case. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Newton County, Missouri, Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing Firearm

    Source: US FBI

    SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Diamond, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury this week for illegally possessing firearms after a prior felony conviction.

    Jason A. Duncan, 40, was charged with three counts of being a felon in possession of firearms, by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo. The indictment, which replaces a complaint filed on June 3, 2025, alleges that Duncan possessed a Palmetto State Armory rifle and a Taurus pistol on Aug. 19, 2024, a Hi-Point pistol on Oct. 3, 2024, and Glock pistol on Jan. 23, 2025. Duncan has prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.

    The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the Joplin, Seneca, and Springfield, Mo., Police Departments.

    Operation Take Back America

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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  • MIL-OSI Security: June Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments Announced

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the June Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments.

    The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

    Alejandro Aldave. Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute (Counts 1 and 2); Possession of 3,4-Dichloro-N-[2-(dimethylamino)cyclohexyl]-N-methylbenzamide (U47700”) with Intent to Distribute (Count 3); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 4); Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime (Count 5) (superseding). Aldave, 36, of Tulsa, is charged with two counts of possessing more than 500 grams of cocaine and one count of possessing 3,4-Dichloro-N-[2-(dimethylamino)cyclohexyl]-N-methylbenzamide (U47700”) with intent to distribute. He is additionally charged with maintaining a residence to distribute cocaine and 3,4-Dichloro-N-[2-(dimethylamino)cyclohexyl]-N-methylbenzamide (U47700”). Lastly, Aldave knowingly possessed a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam D. McConney is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-173

    Roman Ramos Chacon. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Chacon, 27, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Oct. 2023. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Scaife is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-206

    Jesus Reyes Chi. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of Firearms. Reyes Chi, 36, a Mexican national, is charged with possessing firearms knowing he was an alien unlawfully living in the United States. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-207

    Jose Guadalupe Peralez Diaz. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Peralez Diaz, 43, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Apr. 2022. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Whipple is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-208

    Brandon Eugene Fanning. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Fanning, 47, of Wyandotte, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema Onias is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-219

    Cruz De Jesus Garcia-Dimas. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Garcia-Dimas, 34, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Mar. 2012. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-209

    Jason Dewayne Glass; Justin Monrow Wilson. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country (Count 1); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Counts 2 through 4); Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (Count 5); Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute (Count 6); Carrying and Using a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime (Count 7) Maintaining a Durg-Involved Premises (Count 8) Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition (Counts 9 & 10). Glass, 41, of Locust Grove, is charged with engaging in a sexual act by force and threat. He is charged with intentionally assaulting a victim with a firearm, a propane torch, a knife, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Wilson, 49, of Locust Grove, and Glass are jointly charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking, and maintaining a drug house. Additionally, Glass and Willson are charged with possessing numerous firearms and ammunition, knowing they had previously been convicted of several felonies. The FBI, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-220

    Kiaona Richelle Hill. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Hill, 43, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing she was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara Heign and Eric O. Johnston are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-211

    Bradley Justin Kelley. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Eluding Police Officers in Indian Country. Kelley, 35, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies, and possessing a firearm while drug trafficking. Kelley is further charged with maintaining a residence for drug distribution and possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Additionally, Kelley is charged with failing to bring his vehicle to a stop after being directed by a peace officer in an official vehicle with a red light and siren. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Nasar is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-203

    Jorge Luis Garcia-Lopez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Garcia-Lopez, 27, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in May 2021. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Flynn is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-210

    Arturo Hidalgo Luna. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Luna, 59, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Feb. 2003. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-212

    Jason Allen Lynn. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country. Lynn, 31, a transient and a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, is charged with intending to kill Alan Underwood without premeditation and deliberation, but with intent to do serious bodily harm. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Elmore is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-204

    Cale Michael Mitchell Persinger. Assault of a Spouse by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. Persinger, 25, of Tulsa and a member of the Osage Nation, is charged with assaulting his spouse by strangling her. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Weems is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-221

    Austin Dewayne Nation. Use of a Communication Facility in Committing, Causing, and Facilitating the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Felony; Attempted Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Felon in Possession of Firearms; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Nation, 29, of Kellyville, is charged with attempting to possess and distribute methamphetamine received through the mail. He is further charged with attempting to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Additionally, Nation is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies and possessing a firearm while attempting to traffic drugs. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the USPS-OIG are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-213

    Bryan Omar Orozxo-Cahuex. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Orozxo-Cahuex, 30, a Guatemalan national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Dec. 2017. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-214

    Jose Pacheco-Quezada. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Pacheco-Quezada, 24, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Apr. 2019. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-215

    Silvia Nicole Ramos-Ramos. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ramos-Ramos, 23, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Jun. 2023. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-216

    Marissa Ayde Ruiz. Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Carrying a Firearm in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime. Ruiz, 33, of Amarillo, Texas, is charged with knowingly possessing more than 500 grams of cocaine with intent to distribute and carrying a firearm while drug trafficking. The Homeland Security Investigations and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-205

    Allan Segovia. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Segovia, 42, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Attila Bogdan is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-222

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Indianapolis Man Sentenced After Being Caught with Three Firearms and Two Machine Gun Conversion Devices While Out on Bond

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    INDIANAPOLIS— Q’Tez Laquan Ginn, 19, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 61 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession of a machine gun.

    Machine gun conversion devices, sometimes called “Glock switches” or “auto-sears,” are devices that convert ordinary semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machine guns. Machine gun conversion devices are themselves considered machine guns under federal law, even when not installed, and are illegal for individuals to possess or sell.

    According to court documents, in August of 2024, Ginn was seen carrying an AR style pistol in a parking lot where suspected narcotics trafficking was taking place.  Later that day, IMPD officers found Ginn in a vehicle with marijuana and a pistol. Ginn was charged with felony dealing marijuana and taken into custody. At the time of this arrest, Ginn was out on bond for a felony Resisting Law Enforcement charge in Marion County.

    While in custody, Ginn made phone calls to family members, directing them to move and store his firearms and controlled substances at a home known to the family. Ginn continued to exert control over the items while he was incarcerated.

    In September of 2024, law enforcement officers conducted a judicially authorized search at the home and located a black duffel bag that contained a Glock handgun, two AR-style pistols, and multiple magazines, including two loaded high-capacity drum-style magazines.  The Glock handgun and one of the AR-style pistols were found with machine gun conversion devices installed on them.

    “Machine gun conversion devices only exacerbate the already dire situation of individuals using firearms for violent purposes. In a city already overwhelmed by gun violence, these devices contribute to further instability for community members and law enforcement,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “I commend the IMPD and ATF for their steadfast dedication to addressing gun violence in our community.”

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela Domash, who prosecuted this case.

    ###

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: U.S. and Indonesian Navies Commence Exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Indonesia 2025

    Source: United States Navy

    The United States Navy and the Indonesian Navy (Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Laut, or TNI-AL) and Marine Corps (KORMAR RI) commenced Exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Indonesia 2025 with an opening ceremony June 23, 2025 at Madura Pier onboard the TNI-AL Second Fleet Command.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two-Hundred-Fifty-One New Immigration Cases Filed in Western District of Texas, Fewest Since March

    Source: US FBI

    SAN ANTONIO –United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 251 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from June 13 through 19.

    Among the new cases, U.S. citizens Derrick Eugene Huntington, 39, and Michael Jerear Smith Jr., 39, of Arlington, along with Christina Elena Duggan-Rankin, 42, of Huffman, were arrested at an immigration checkpoint near Carrizo Springs after they were allegedly discovered conspiring to transport four illegal aliens concealed in two separate vehicles. A criminal complaint alleges that Huntington and Smith occupied a sedan carrying an illegal alien in the trunk, while Duggan-Rankin drove an SUV with one illegal alien hidden on the floorboard in the passenger compartment and two others in the rear of the vehicle. The complaint further alleges that the three Americans admitted to conspiring with a facilitator to transport the aliens to a location near San Antonio for monetary gain, and that cell phone evidence revealed photos of the smuggled aliens and communications with the facilitator, along with a pin-drop of the pick-up location. Huntington, Smith and Duggan-Rankin are each charged with bringing in and harboring aliens.

    In a separate case, U.S. citizens Raul Hilario Alvarado, 24, and Timothey Nathan Easterling, 40, were arrested during a vehicle stop on Highway 85 near Big Wells for allegedly transporting two illegal aliens. During an immigration inspection, a criminal complaint alleges, one backseat passenger was determined to be illegally present in the U.S., while a second illegal alien was found in the trunk of the vehicle. According to the criminal complaint, both defendants admitted to conspiring with a facilitator and that they were going to be paid up to $2,500 for transporting the illegal aliens.

    Mexican nationals Israel Moreno-Salgado, 38, and Jose Hector Ramirez Roman, 43, were arrested near Maverick and charged with illegal re-entry felonies. Moreno-Salgado has been previously removed from the U.S. eight times, the most recent being April 1. Ramirez Roman has been removed from the U.S. five times, the latest being Jan. 22. Honduran national Delmar Sanchez-Zuniga, 42, was also arrested near Maverick for illegal re-entry. The three-time felon, with convictions for possession of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm by a felon, and a previous illegal re-entry conviction, has been deported twice before, the last being Dec. 13, 2024.

    Mexican national Jose Rodolfo Cruz-Lopez was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry in El Paso. Court documents reveal that, in May 2023, Cruz-Lopez was convicted of three felonies related to child abduction in Elizabethtown, North Carolina. He was removed from the U.S. to Mexico in October 2023. Also a Mexican national, Edwin Enrique Carpio-Lopez was arrested for illegal re-entry, having been removed from the U.S. five times, the last being on Feb. 11. Additionally, immigration records show Carpio-Lopez has been granted four voluntary returns and has been expelled 17 times under Title 42.

    On June 14, U.S. Border Patrol agents in El Paso attempted a traffic stop after they allegedly observed multiple individuals enter a pick-up truck near the border. A criminal complaint alleges that the driver of the truck, identified as Mexican national Ruben Alfredo Carrillo-Castruita¸ fled at a high rate of speed in a reckless manner, running several red lights before exiting the vehicle at an intersection and fleeing on foot. An assisting Texas Department of Public Safety trooper was able to apprehend Carrillo-Castruita, while the two passengers who fled from the pick-up were located by Border Patrol agents. The complaint alleges that Carrillo-Castruita admitted to being hired by a smuggler and was going to be paid $300 per illegal alien. The defendant was previously convicted for transporting illegal aliens in New Mexico in May 2023.

    Heriberto Betancourt-Morales, a Mexican national, was charged in a criminal complaint for conspiracy to bring in aliens as the result of a U.S. Border Patrol investigation that identified him as a person involved in human smuggling. The complaint alleges that Betancourt-Morales was previously removed from El Paso to Ciudad Juarez on Sept. 21, 2024, and had transported multiple illegal aliens in May 2025. In one victim account, Betancourt-Morales allegedly carried a makeshift ladder for an alien to climb the border fence and pushed them over the fence causing the alien to fall and sustain injuries. Another victim cited in the complaint alleged that Betancourt-Morales and other smugglers transported her to multiple stash houses in Mexico prior to making illegal entry using a makeshift ladder to climb the fence. A third victim also identified Betancourt-Morales as an individual who conducted random checkups and gave orders at a stash house in Ciudad Juarez, where she was harbored with more than 10 other subjects.

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

    These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Chairman and CEO of Publicly Traded Health Care Company Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Insider Trading

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Sentence is the First Insider Trading Prosecution Based Exclusively on Use of Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plans

    The former CEO and chairman of the board of directors of Ontrak Inc., a Miami-based publicly traded health care company, was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for engaging in an insider trading scheme using Rule 10b5-1 stock trading plans to avoid losses of more than $12.5 million.

    Terren Scott Peizer, 65, a resident of Puerto Rico and Santa Monica, was sentenced by  U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer, who also ordered him to pay a fine of $5.25 million and forfeit more than $12.7 million in ill-gotten gains.

    “Terren Peizer betrayed the trust of Ontrak’s investors, trading on inside information to offload company stock before a substantial price decline,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.  “Today’s just sentence reflects the Criminal Division’s hard work and commitment to prosecuting frauds that harm American investors. The Criminal Division will use the tools at its disposal to combat sophisticated frauds that exploit our securities markets.”

    “Insiders must not be allowed to put their thumbs on the scales of the stock market,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “Individuals who impugn the integrity of our markets can and will face prison time for their crimes.”

    In May 2021, Peizer entered into his first 10b5-1 trading plan shortly after learning that the relationship between Ontrak and its largest customer was deteriorating, and that the customer had expressed serious reservations about continuing its contract with Ontrak. Peizer later learned that the customer informed Ontrak of its intent to terminate the contract. In August 2021, Peizer entered into his second 10b5-1 trading plan minutes after Ontrak’s chief negotiator for the contract told Peizer that the contract likely would be terminated.

    In establishing his 10b5-1 plans, Peizer refused to engage in any “cooling-off” period — the time between when he entered into the plan and when he sold stock — despite warnings from two brokers, a senior Ontrak executive, and attorneys. Instead, Peizer began selling shares of Ontrak on the next trading day after establishing each plan. On Aug. 19, 2021, just six days after Peizer adopted his 10b5-1 plan, Ontrak announced that the customer had terminated its contract and Ontrak’s stock price declined by more than 44%.

    In June 2024, Peizer was found guilty after a 10 day jury trial of one count of securities fraud and two counts of insider trading. The case is part of a data-driven initiative led by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section to identify executive abuses of 10b5-1 trading plans. 

    The FBI investigated the case. The Justice Department appreciates the substantial assistance of FINRA’s Criminal Prosecution Assistance Group.

    Trial Attorney Matthew Reilly of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Galatzan for the Central District of California assisted with the forfeiture proceedings.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eight Defendants Indicted in Connection with Drug Trafficking Conspiracies and One Defendant Indicted for Unlawful Reentry Into the United States

    Source: US FBI

    CONCORD – Eight defendants have been indicted in connection with drug trafficking organizations operating out of Massachusetts and distributing illegal narcotics in Manchester. One defendant was also in the United States following a previous deportation, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.

    On June 18, 2025, law enforcement arrested six of these defendants each on one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl, and one defendant was also charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.

    The following defendants have been indicted and arrested in connection with these charges:

    1. Ariel Lara Aguasviva, age 35, of South Attleboro, MA; and is in federal custody.
    2. Victor Manuel Mejia Guzman, age 49, of Methuen, MA; and is in federal custody.
    3. Jarlin Soto Jimenez, age 29, of Lynn, MA; and is in federal custody.
    4. Robert Alexis Pena Lara, age 25, of Providence, RI; and is in federal custody.
    5. Edwin Manuel Mejia Mejia, age 43, of Dorchester, MA; and is in federal custody.
    6. Carlo De Los Santos Ruiz, age 28, of Dorchester, MA; and is in federal custody. 

    According to the charging documents, between November 20, 2023 and May 7, 2025, the defendants knowingly and intentionally conspired to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl.

    Additionally, according to the charging documents, Victor Manuel Mejia Guzman, a Dominican Republic national unlawfully residing in Methuen, was previously deported on November 19, 2007. Mejia-Guzman was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Major Offender Task Force and the Manchester Police Department led the investigation.  DEA New England, HSI New England, and the Boston, Attleboro, Methuen, Lynn, and Providence Police Departments provided valuable assistance.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Shannon and Heather Cherniske are prosecuting the case.

    This effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations.  The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

     

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Thirteen Indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Cocaine as well as Illegal Possession of Machine Guns

    Source: US FBI

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Ten Mexican nationals, one Guatemalan national, and two United States citizens have been indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine as well as numerous counts of distribution of those controlled substances, illegal possession of machine guns, alien in possession of firearms, felon in possession of firearms, and illegal reentry of removed aliens.

    The investigation began in January of 2024 and continued through June of 2025, during which time investigators seized approximately 40 kilograms of methamphetamine, two kilograms of cocaine, and 11 firearms, three of which had been equipped with machine gun conversion devices and functioned as fully automatic weapons.

    A law enforcement operation conducted on June 18, 2025, resulted in nine arrests. Three defendants were already in custody, and one defendant remains at large. More than a dozen law enforcement agencies were involved in the operation which also resulted in the seizure of nine additional firearms.

    Uriel Lopez-Farias, 31, a Mexican national; Jesus Adrian Meza-Meza, 42, a Mexican national; Walter Fernandez, 34, of Kansas City, Mo.; Carlos R. Lepe-Virgen, 52, a Mexico national; Pedro Ivan Roldan-Minjares, 44, a Mexican national; Joel Armando Guillen-Rodriguez, 31, a Mexican national; Jose Rodriguez-Vasquez, 44, a Mexican national; Jose Aroldo Troches-Reyes, 33, a Guatemalan national; Adalberto Meza-Meza, 37, a Mexican national; Maximiliano Oliva-Verdin, 30, a Mexican national; Osvaldo Chiapas-Aguilar, 38, a Mexican national; Jesus Alvarez-Giron, 23, a Mexican national; and Kenneth Baez, 25, of Kansas City, Mo., were charged in a forty-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on June 11, 2025.  The federal indictment was unsealed and made public today following the initial appearances of those in custody.

    Lopez-Farias is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine, alien in possession of a firearm, illegal possession of a machine gun, distribution and attempted distribution of cocaine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    J. Meza-Meza is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine, alien in possession of a firearm and reentry of a removed alien. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Fernandez is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Lepe-Virgen is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Roldan-Minjares is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine and reentry of a removed alien. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Guillen-Rodriguez is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Rodriguez-Vasquez is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine and reentry of a removed alien. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Troches-Reyes is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and attempted distribution of cocaine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    A. Meza-Meza is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Oliva-Verdin is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Chiapas-Aguilar is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Alvarez-Giron is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to life imprisonment for these charges.

    Baez is charged with illegal possession of a machine gun and felon in possession of a firearm. Under federal statutes, the defendant is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole for this charge.

    The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan A. Baker and Heather Siegele.  It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Jackson County Drug Task Force in conjunction with other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

    Wednesday’s law enforcement operation included the FBI, DEA, ATF, HSI, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Postal Service, the Internal Revenue Service, Jackson County (MO) Drug Task Force, Johnson County (KS) Drug Task Force, Kansas City Missouri Police Department, Kansas City Kansas Police Department, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Lee’s Summit Police Department, Sugar Creek Police Department, Wyandotte County (KS) Sheriff’s Department, St. Joseph (MO) Police Department, Buchanan County (MO) Drug Strike Force, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Missouri and the District of Kansas.

    The investigation and arrest operation were part of the Kansas City Regional Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) which is dedicated to identifying and prosecuting criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

    Operation Take Back America

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chesterfield Doctor Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Healthcare Fraud

    Source: US FBI

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Friday sentenced a doctor who committed healthcare fraud to five years in prison and ordered him to repay $2.87 million.

    Dr. Stanley L. Librach, now 64, of Chesterfield, pleaded guilty in August in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy, one count of illegally prescribing controlled substances, one count of paying illegal kickbacks for referrals and one count of health care fraud. He admitted participating in healthcare fraud schemes involving both kickbacks and the illegal prescribing of controlled substances.

    In one scheme, Dr. Librach, Dr. Asim Muhammad Ali, and chiropractor Jerry Dale Leech agreed to send urine samples for testing to Central Diagnostic Laboratory (CDL) in exchange for illegal kickbacks that went to business entities owned by Leech and Denis J. Mikhlin. CDL then sought reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid for the testing. Dr. Librach also sent urine samples directly from his own separate private practice clinic to CDL. In exchange, Dr. Ali paid the wages of Dr. Librach’s employees.

    In another scheme, Dr. Librach, Dr. Ali and Leech wrote prescriptions for the powerful pain medication oxycodone and other controlled substances when there was no legitimate medical purpose and while acting outside the usual course of professional conduct. Drs. Librach and Ali had not examined the patients at the pain clinics with which they were associated. They did not determine that the patients whose names appeared on prescriptions had a medical need for the controlled substances. Instead, they spent several hours one day a week pre-signing prescriptions that would be used for patients at upcoming visits. The doctors did not examine or evaluate the patients and rarely looked at patient charts before signing prescriptions. The doctors signed prescriptions for patients whose test results indicated that they were selling or otherwise diverting the controlled substances and did not address that obvious drug diversion. The conspirators knew that pharmacies would seek reimbursement for the medications from Medicare and Medicaid.

    “This provider was involved in multiple elaborate healthcare fraud schemes that involved accepting kickbacks and illegally prescribing dangerous and addictive opioids for financial gain,” said Linda T. Hanley, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG).  “HHS-OIG remains committed to working closely with our law enforcement partners to protect patients and protect the integrity of federal healthcare programs.”

    Special Agent in Charge Michael A. Davis heads the Drug Enforcement Administration division that leads DEA investigations in Kansas and Missouri. “Because opioids are highly addictive, doctors have a duty to ensure they are prescribing controlled medications according to law to protect their patients’ health and safety,” said Davis.

    Eleven defendants were indicted in 2020, including three doctors, their staff and purported patients. A twelfth was added in 2022. All have pleaded guilty.

    Dr. Ali, 54, of Creve Coeur, pleaded guilty in May of 2024 to charges similar to the ones to which Dr. Librach pleaded. He is scheduled to be sentenced in August. Leech, 52, of Creve Coeur, pleaded guilty in 2021 to one count of conspiracy, one count of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, one count of paying illegal kickbacks for referrals and one count of health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced in September. Mikhlin, 46, of Chesterfield, was sentenced in 2021 to nine years in prison and ordered to repay $181,265.

    The HHS-OIG, the DEA, the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Sestric, Derek Wiseman and Jonathan Clow are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Nonprofit Founder and Accountant Charged with Stealing Over $100M from Special Needs Victims

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    An indictment was unsealed today charging two Florida men in connection with a fraudulent scheme to steal over $100 million from a nonprofit organization that managed funds for people with special needs and disabilities.

    “As alleged, for over 15 years, the defendants conspired to use the funds of special needs clients as a personal piggy bank, stealing $100 million dollars meant for the most vulnerable members of our society to enrich themselves,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s charges reflect the Criminal Division’s ongoing commitment to prosecuting sophisticated fraudsters who abuse the trust of their victims. Thanks to the relentless efforts of our multiagency partners, we will continue to aggressively pursue accountability for perpetrators who exploit Americans out of greed.”

    “Protecting the most vulnerable members of our society is a priority of the U. S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “The fraud alleged in this nationwide scheme is unfathomable. Due to the diligence and interagency collaboration by our dedicated law enforcement partners, these crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “The subjects charged are accused of creating a slush fund to divert millions of dollars away from a nonprofit organization helping people with special needs,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Not only were the organization’s resources drained, but the accused subjects betrayed the trust of the community and ultimately bankrupted a lifeline for vulnerable families. The FBI will not tolerate the exploitation of charitable missions for personal enrichment.”

    “The scale and audacity of the alleged fraud in this case are deeply troubling,” said Criminal Investigation Chief Guy Ficco of the IRS. “Stealing funds intended to protect and support people with special needs is as cruel as it is criminal. IRS-CI special agents are dedicated to uncovering complex financial schemes, especially those that prey on the most vulnerable in our society.”

    “The defendant disrupted access to critical services for individuals with disabilities and defrauded federal health care programs with the sole purpose of financing a life of extravagance,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continue to hold those who’s illicit actions seek to assail enrollees and the nation’s federal health care programs fully accountable.”

    According to court documents, Leo John Govoni, 67, of Clearwater, Florida, co-founded the Center for Special Needs Trust Administration (CSNT) in or around 2000 and John Leo Witeck, 60, of Tampa, Florida, worked at CSNT as an accountant. CSNT allegedly was a nonprofit that managed money for people with disabilities and other special needs, including those who received court awards, settlements, and other payments. CSNT grew to be one of the largest administrators of special needs trusts in the country, with beneficiaries located in almost every state. As of February 2024, the indictment alleges, CSNT managed over 2,100 special needs trusts containing approximately $200 million.

    As alleged in the indictment, from June 2009 through May 2025, Govoni, Witeck, and their co-conspirators solicited, stole, and misappropriated CSNT client-beneficiary funds — which they treated as a slush fund to enrich themselves and others — and concealed their illegal activities through complex financial transactions and deceit, including sending fraudulent account statements with false balances to disabled victims. Govoni allegedly used stolen money to purchase real estate, travel via private jet, fund a brewery, make deposits into his personal bank accounts, and pay personal debts. In 2024, CSNT filed for bankruptcy and disclosed that more than $100 million in client-beneficiary funds were missing from its trust accounts. Govoni is alleged to have made false declarations to the bankruptcy court related to the CSNT bankruptcy proceedings.

    Separately, Govoni is also alleged to have committed bank fraud related to a $3 million mortgage refinance loan and to have laundered $205,054 of the proceeds to pay off a home equity line of credit on his residence.

    Govoni and Witeck were both charged with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering conspiracy. Govoni was additionally charged with bank fraud, illegal monetary transactions, and false bankruptcy declarations.

    If convicted, both defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, and money laundering conspiracy charges. If convicted, Govoni faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on the bank fraud charge, 10 years in prison on the illegal monetary transactions charge, and five years in prison on the false bankruptcy declaration charge.

    The FBI, IRS-CI, HHS-OIG, and SSA-OIG are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Lyndie Freeman of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U. S. Attorneys Jennifer Peresie and Michael Gordon for the Middle District of Florida are handling the prosecution.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Met officer charged with sexual assault offences

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A serving Metropolitan Police officer has appeared at court following sexual assault charges.

    Inspector Michael Richards, attached to Learning and Development, was charged with two counts of sexual assault by touching on Sunday, 25 May.

    He appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 23 June. He was bailed to next appear at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, 21 July.

    He remains suspended from duty.

    Insp Richards was arrested on Wednesday 17, September on suspicion of sexual assault by touching. The allegations relate to a male and a female victim, both over the age of 18. They are alleged to have taken place on the same day as the arrest while Insp Richards was off-duty.

    The Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards is aware.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Narcotics Trafficker Who Brokered Cross-Country Fentanyl Sales Sentenced to 75 Months in Federal Prison

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

                WASHINGTON – Melvin Edward Allen, Jr., 39, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 75 months in federal prison for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy which distributed hundreds of thousands of lethal fentanyl-laced pills from Southern California to destinations throughout the United States, including Washington D.C. Allen was one of 24 co-defendants arrested over the course of 2023 in D.C., Virginia, Maryland, San Diego, and Los Angeles and charged in the conspiracy.

                The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

                Allen, aka “21,” pleaded guilty on December 18, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams of fentanyl. In addition to the 75-month prison term, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Allen to serve five years of supervised release.

                According to court documents, Allen entered into the conspiracy after he was introduced to a Los Angeles-based drug trafficker, co-defendant Hector David Valdez, who was a distributor of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills. Allen was introduced to Valdez by D.C.-based fentanyl traffickers who were co-conspirators of Allen.

                Allen’s role was to travel to Southern California in order to facilitate the sale of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills from the wholesaler to D.C.-based fentanyl redistributors. Allen most frequently brokered the purchase of the pills in person, taking approximately 65 flights from the DMV to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Allen used his commissions from the sales he brokered to fund a lavish lifestyle and routinely boasted of his spending habits and wealth on social media.

                The impetus for the investigation was the overdose death of Diamond Lynch, a young mother in Southeast D.C. In addition to investigating and prosecuting the death resulting case, law enforcement followed the evidence and uncovered a vast network of traffickers who transported fentanyl from Mexico to Los Angeles to the District of Columbia. Since then, investigators have seized more than 450,000 fentanyl pills, 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder, and 30 firearms.

                This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

               The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the DEA Washington Division and the USPIS Washington Division in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional support from the DEA Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside Field Offices, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office, and the Charles County, Maryland Sheriff’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central and Southern Districts of California, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Maryland.

               The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, Solomon S. Eppel, and Iris McCranie, of the Violent Crimes and Narcotics Trafficking Division.

    DEFENDANT

    AGE

    LOCATION

    CHARGES/SENTENCE

    Hector David Valdez,

    aka “Curl”

     

    27

    		 Santa Fe Springs, California

    Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

    conspiracy to commit international money laundering.

    Craig Eastman

     

    21

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced Feb. 6, 2025, to 165 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
    Charles Jeffrey Taylor

    21

    		 Washington, D.C. Pleaded guilty Feb. 28, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Raymond Nava, Jr.

    21

    Bell Gardens,

    California

    		 Sentenced Sept. 17, 2024, to 14 years for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Ulises Aldaz

    28

    Bell Gardens,

    California

    		 Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 95 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Max Alexander Carias Torres

    27

    Bell Gardens,

    California

    		 Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
    Teron Deandre McNeil, aka “Wild Boy”

    35

    		 Washington, D.C. Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; Conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

    Marvin Anthony Bussie,

    aka “Money Marr”

    22

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Marcus Orlando Brown

    29

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced Oct. 3, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Columbian Thomas, aka “Cruddy Murda”

    27

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced Oct. 22, 2024, to 160 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Wayne Rodell Carr-Maiden

    35

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced April 29, 2024, to 45 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Andre Malik Edmond,

    aka “Draco”

    23

    		 Temple Hills, Maryland Sentenced July 22, 2024, to 130 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Treyveon James Johnson,

    aka “Treyski”

    21

    		 Alexandria, Virginia Sentenced Sept. 5, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Karon Olufemi Blalock,

    aka “Fat Bags”

    30

    		 Alexandria, Virginia Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; conspiracy to commit money laundering.

    Ronte Ricardo Greene,

    aka “Cardiddy”

    29

    		 Washington, D.C. Pleaded guilty Feb. 27, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Melvin Edward Allen, Jr., aka “21”

    39

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced June 20, 2025, to 75 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Darius Quincy Hodges,

    aka “Brick”

    34

    		 Glen Allen, Virginia Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Lamin Sesay,

    aka “Rock Star”

    28

    		 Alexandria, Virginia Sentenced May 30, 2025, to 110 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Paul Alejandro Felix

    26

    Glendale,

    California

    		 Sentenced Nov. 12, 2024, to 164 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Omar Arana,

    aka “Frogs”

    27

    Cudahy,

    California

    		 Sentenced May 2, 2025, to 93 months, for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Edgar Balderas, Jr., aka “Nano”

    27

    San Diego,

    California

    		 Sentenced May 8, 2025, to 148 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Raul Pacheco Ramirez

    31

    Long Beach,

    California

    		 Sentenced Nov. 26, 2024, to 95 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Giovani Alejandro Briones

    31

    		 Victorville, California Sentenced Feb. 20, 2025, to 90 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Alfredo Rodriguez Gonzalez

    26

    		 Rosarito, Mexico

    Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

    conspiracy to commit international money laundering.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hillsborough County High School Teacher Pleads Guilty To Conspiring To Provide Firearms To Trinidad-Based Transnational Criminal Organization

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Shannon Lee Samlalsingh (46, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to making false statements to a firearms dealer on June 20, 2025. Samlalsingh faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to the plea agreement, in 2020 and 2021, Samlalsingh purchased several firearms and firearms components from federally licensed firearms dealers in Hillsborough County and Miami-Dade County where she falsely stated on ATF 4473 forms that she was the actual transferee or buyer of said firearms. In reality, Samlalsingh had received money via international wire transfers from members of a Trinidadian transnational criminal organization with instructions to purchase specific model firearms and firearms components, then transfer them to other members of the transnational criminal organization already in Florida, to smuggle them back to Trinidad. Samlalsingh kept a percentage of the wire transfer funds as compensation. The firearms were smuggled back to Trinidad and Tobago by concealing them in a large wireless speaker and punching bags.

    On or about April 21, 2021, authorities at the Piarco International Airport in Trinidad and Tobago seized a shipment from the United States containing two punching bags and other goods. Concealed within the two punching bags were approximately eleven 9mm pistols, two .38 caliber special revolvers, a 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun, three AR-15 barrel foregrips, 19 lower pistol grip assemblies, 11 forearm bolt assemblies, three AR-15-style barrels with forearm grips, 32 AR-15 magazines, one AR-15 drum magazine, 470 rounds of AR-15 ammunition, 34 9mm magazines, three 9mm drum magazines, 284 9mm rounds, fifteen .38 caliber rounds, 36 shells, six magazine couplers, and two shotgun chokes.  Specifically, Samlalsingh purchased a SAR-9 9mm pistol, a Ruger-9 9mm pistol, a Taurus G3 9mm pistol, a Taurus G2C 9mm pistol which were all traced to the April 21, 2021, seizure in Trinidad and Tobago.   

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of National Security (Transnational Organized Crime Unit) and Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (Special Investigations Unit), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Adam W. McCall.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Shawano Man Indicted for Child Pornography Production

    Source: US FBI

    Richard Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on June 17, 2025, a federal indictment was returned alleging that Brandon M. Boogren (age: 29) of Shawano, Wisconsin, used a minor child to produce child pornography in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a).

    According to court documents, in May 2019 Boogren created several videos of himself and a then two-year-old child involved in sexually explicit conduct. Boogren then is alleged to have distributed the images to an individual in Houston, Texas, via the internet.

    If convicted of the charge alleged in the indictment, Boogren faces a mandatory 15 years’ imprisonment and up to 30 years’ imprisonment. He may also be fined up to $250,000 and would be required to register as a sexual offender under state and federal law.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Shawano County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.

    An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.     

    # # #

    For Additional Information Contact:

    Public Information Officer

    Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov

    414-297-1700

     

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Wausau Investment Advisor Charged with Wire Fraud and Money Laundering

    Source: US FBI

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced the unsealing of a criminal complaint charging Stanley Pophal, 63, Wausau, Wisconsin, with wire fraud and money laundering. Pophal was arrested Saturday and made his initial appearance in federal court yesterday. He was detained pending further proceedings.     

    According to the criminal complaint, beginning in 2019, Pophal solicited investors to purchase promissory notes from him with supposedly guaranteed rates of return. In order to lure investors into the scheme, Pophal falsely represented that he was a wealthy businessman. Between May of 2019 and March of 2025, Pophal received more than $15,000,000 from at least 120 investors.

    The criminal complaint also alleges that Pophal did not actually invest the  majority of the money he obtained from his investors. Instead, Pophal used the money to live an extravagant lifestyle, including the purchase of over 300 snowmobiles. To keep the fraud scheme going, Pophal also used new investor money to make “lulling payments” to previous investors to make it appear as though those investors were earning investment returns.

    The charges against Pophal are a result of an investigation conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.

    You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation, and a person named as defendant in a criminal complaint or indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Six Defendants Charged with Assaulting Federal Offices, Other Offenses During Protests Near Local ICE Office

    Source: US FBI

    PORTLAND, Ore.—Six defendants made their first appearances in federal court today after committing various offenses—including assaulting federal officers and creating a hazard on federal property—during ongoing protest gatherings near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in South Portland.

    Samuel Tate Berry, 29, who has recently resided in Gearhart and Seaside, Oregon, as well as Kelso, Washington, has been charged by criminal complaint with the misdemeanor offenses of assaulting a federal officer and failure to comply with official signs and directions.

    Juniper Perry Weed, 21, of Jackson, Michigan, has been charged by criminal complaint with the misdemeanor offenses of assaulting a federal officer and failure to comply with official signs and directions.

    Eduardo Diaz Guardado, 22, of Vancouver, Washington, has been charged by criminal complaint with the misdemeanor offense of assaulting a federal officer.

    Andrew James Beason, 53, of Beaverton, Oregon, has been charged by information with the misdemeanor offense of failing to obey a lawful order.

    Nokomis Lee, 22, of Grand Ronde, Oregon, has been charged by information with the misdemeanor offense of failing to obey a lawful order.

    Liam Harry Houpis, 22, also of Vancouver, has been charged by information with the misdemeanor offense of creating a hazard on federal property.

    According to court documents and information shared in court, on June 18, 2025, several hundred people gathered near an ICE office in South Portland where, for more than week, individuals have repeatedly targeted the building and various federal law enforcement officers with mortar fireworks, rocks, bricks, glass bottles, signs, and makeshift shields. At approximately 6:38pm, federal officers on site were informed that six official vehicles were en route and needed to enter the property via a vehicle gate blocked by the crowd.

    After issuing warnings and asking the group to move, federal officers opened the vehicle gate and advanced on the crowd to clear the driveway for the arriving vehicles. Defendants Berry and Weed failed to comply with the officers’ directions and, while being placed under arrest, assaulted officers. Later the same evening, a crowd again blocked the building’s vehicle gate and, after being warned a second time, were cleared to allow law enforcement vehicles to exit the property. During this second clearing, at approximately 10:55pm, defendants Beason and Lee failed to obey lawful orders issued by law enforcement. A fifth defendant, Guardado, was observed possessing a high-powered laser pointer that he pointed at a federal officer, striking the officer in the eye and temporarily blinding him.

    The following evening, on June 19, 2025, several dozen individuals again gathered at the South Portland ICE office, when, at approximately 10:20pm, defendant Houpis was observed using a drill and screws on plywood doors affixed to the building’s exterior in an attempt to prevent federal officers from exiting the building.

    All six defendants made their first appearances in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and were released on conditions pending future court proceedings.

    Misdemeanor assault of a federal officer is punishable by up to one year in federal prison. Failure to obey a lawful order, failure to comply with official signs and directions, and creating a hazard on federal property are all Class C misdemeanors and carry a maximum penalty of 30 days in prison.

    These cases are being investigated by the FBI and Federal Protective Service (FPS), and are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

    Criminal informations and complaints are only accusations of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –